The present invention is directed to a method and to an apparatus for treating hard dental substances with a treatment handpiece with which a cooling agent, such as air and/or water, can be supplied to the preparation location.
Treatment handpieces with which different preparations can be carried out at a tooth, such as, for example, treating a cavity, grinding a tooth or removing dental calculus, can be air-driven handpieces, electromotively-driven handpieces, ultrasound-driven handpieces or laser handpieces. In all of these preparation jobs, a coolant, for example cooling water or spray, is usually supplied to the preparation location. A disadvantage of such handpieces is that the supplied coolant forms an aerosol cloud with which bacteria are also entrained. Thus, the bacteria can be carried out of the patient's mouth and into the surroundings of the dental practice or office.